Michttp://mic.com/
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:46:42 +0000rss@mic.com (Mic)enhttp://mic.com/articles/161866/viral-video-of-homeless-woman-claiming-she-lives-in-trump-tower-rent-free-is-fake
A viral video dominated social media this week, featuring a homeless woman claiming President-elect Donald Trump allowed her to live rent-free in Trump Tower for either eight or nine years. But on Friday, a Trump Hotels spokesperson confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the Good Samaritan story — which was also widely circulated on fake news outlets like Infowars.com and Libertywritersnews.com — is a sham.

The unidentified woman claimed she snuck into the building and was squatting in an empty room there until a housekeeper discovered her. She said the housekeeper called the manager who then contacted the NYPD, who told her they would have to arrest her if she didn't leave.

"When I told them I wouldn't go, they contacted Mr. Trump over the phone and he came down here," the woman says in the video. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161866/viral-video-of-homeless-woman-claiming-she-lives-in-trump-tower-rent-free-is-fakemarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 22:20:26 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161867/donald-trump-shuttered-companies-in-saudi-arabia-following-election-win
Do Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161867/donald-trump-shuttered-companies-in-saudi-arabia-following-election-winmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:46:42 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161833/trump-immigration-and-california-here-s-what-you-need-to-know
From the time he first announced his candidacy, President-elect Donald Trump has made it known that he has big plans for undocumented immigrants. And as Trump stands poised to go forward with his pledges to deport millions of immigrants once he takes a seat in the White House, it's unclear what these migrants' futures will hold.

Nowhere are these anxieties felt more strongly than in California, which has the largest Hispanic population in the country and is home to an estimated 2.67 million undocumented immigrants. Democratic legislators in the blue state, however, are ready for a fight.

"Throughout the presidential campaign and since, the president-elect has made many troubling statements that run counter to the principles that define California today," Kevin de León, the California Senate president pro tempore, said, the New York Times reported. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161833/trump-immigration-and-california-here-s-what-you-need-to-knowadurkee@mic.com (Alison Durkee)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:33:44 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161838/ideas-to-fight-global-and-us-poverty-are-gaining-traction-portland-oregon-ceo-tax-universal-basic-income
Fe Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161838/ideas-to-fight-global-and-us-poverty-are-gaining-traction-portland-oregon-ceo-tax-universal-basic-incomejdennin@mic.com (James Dennin)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:06:15 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161834/thousands-of-oil-spills-are-devastating-the-gulf-coast-and-no-one-seems-to-care
The Gulf Coast is being devastated, and there's no end in sight for the massive problem.

That's the takeaway from a new investigative report released Friday by Wired, which sheds light on the tens of thousands of oil spills each year that oil companies underreport and misrepresent as smaller than they actually are.

The Wired report highlights Taylor Energy, which owns more than two dozen undersea oil wells damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161834/thousands-of-oil-spills-are-devastating-the-gulf-coast-and-no-one-seems-to-careaswartz@mic.com (Anna Swartz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:37:07 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161841/obamacare-pennsylvania-premiums-cost-enrollment-and-deadlines
Donald Trump has pledged to repeal the Affordable Care Act when he takes office in January. But any changes will take a while to implement, and there is no risk of one's policy being canceled in 2017 once you have enrolled, according to Consumer Reports. More than 1 million Americans signed up for coverage under the ACA within two weeks of open enrollment — 53,000 more than the same period the previous year, CNN Money reported. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, by the end of November, more than 2 million had registered, including over 100,000 in Pennsylvania.

Those were the words of Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general.

Though Sessions later apologized for the statement — which he characterized as a poorly conceived joke — those in the cannabis business are worried about what he would do to the $6.7 billion industry as attorney general.

This is of particular concern in Colorado, one of eight states where marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use.

Source: GraphiqBy some estimates, in 2015, the marijuana industry in Colorado alone saw nearly $1 billion in sales, produced $2.4 billion in associated economic activity and created 18,000 new jobs. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161755/colorado-s-marijuana-industry-could-take-a-big-hit-under-a-trump-administrationnatasha@mic.com (Natasha Noman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:35:46 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161794/trump-immigration-and-arizona-here-s-what-you-need-to-know
Immigration was one of Donald Trump's signature issues in his run for the White House. He began his campaign by calling Mexicans drug dealers and rapists, and his proposal to build a wall along the border of the United States and Mexico was a rallying cry at campaign events.

In Arizona, the state that has had the most unauthorized border crossings, Trump's campaign promises have concerned immigration advocates and emboldened their opponents.

The state, home of the controversial Senate Bill 1070 that critics say legalizes racial profiling, has long been at the center of debate about immigration in the United States. Trump won the state handily in November, made numerous stops there during the campaign and notched the endorsements of Gov. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161794/trump-immigration-and-arizona-here-s-what-you-need-to-knowericlutz@mic.com (Eric Lutz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:24:41 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161835/nintendo-switch-games-mario-rumors-confirmed-nintendo-is-definitely-teasing-something
Nintendo teased a new Mario game in the trailer that revealed the Nintendo Switch, but some fans are speculating Shigeru Miyamoto — the creator of Mario, Zelda and Donkey Kong — used a snazzy T-shirt he wore on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as a way to tease some additional details.

Shigeru Miyamoto on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'Source: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon/YouTubeIt appears to show Mario dressed in Samurai-inspired armor, which led Reddit user T-RavStl to post a thread in which he speculates it could be a tease for Mario's next adventure. Throughout the series, Mario uses different hats to transform and gain different abilities. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161835/nintendo-switch-games-mario-rumors-confirmed-nintendo-is-definitely-teasing-somethingtim@mic.com (Tim Mulkerin)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:37:13 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161860/rudy-giuliani-is-no-longer-a-contender-for-secretary-of-state
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is no longer being considered for the role of secretary of state in President-elect Donald Trump's administration, according to a statement from the Trump transition team Friday, noting Giuliani "removed his name from consideration" during a Nov. 29 meeting.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani no longer under consideration to be Trump's Secretary of State - @NBCNews

JUST IN: Giuliani no longer being considered for secretary of State: reports https://t.co/IOz0AxqaWf

"Rudy Giuliani is an extraordinarily talented and patriotic American," Trump said in the statement. "I will always be appreciative of his 24/7 dedication to our campaign after I won the primaries and for his extremely wise counsel. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161860/rudy-giuliani-is-no-longer-a-contender-for-secretary-of-statenatasha@mic.com (Natasha Noman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 20:51:16 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161836/california-weed-delivery-here-are-4-of-the-most-popular-sites-people-are-using-to-buy-pot
California voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana on Nov. 8. Residents 21 and over are clamoring for an opportunity to legally purchase the drug, but they'll have to wait — the state won't start issuing recreational dispensary licenses until Jan. 1, 2018. There is a workaround, however: You can become a medical marijuana patient. And if you do, you'll be able to buy weed online and have it delivered to your door.

Here are four of the most popular sites people are using to buy pot in California:

KushflyKushfly offers "instant" delivery throughout Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, and will overnight purchases anywhere in California for no additional cost. The service offers a range of cannabis products, from oils to edibles and, of course, traditional flower buds.

TopsTops delivers throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161836/california-weed-delivery-here-are-4-of-the-most-popular-sites-people-are-using-to-buy-potaric@mic.com (Aric Suber-Jenkins)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:52:01 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161813/ohio-heartbeat-bill-co-sponsor-admitted-he-hadn-t-given-the-abortion-thing-much-thought
There's no reason any politician should be legislating what a woman can and can't do with her own body. In 2012, Republican State Rep. Jim Buchy, a supporter of the latest anti-abortion legislation coming out of Ohio, made that even more abundantly clear in an interview with Al Jazeera.

At the time, Buchy was the co-sponsor on a bill to dramatically shorten the window of time in which someone is allowed to terminate their pregnancy. In the interview, he tells the Al Jazeera reporter his ultimate goal is a near-total ban on abortion.

Pressing him on this extreme stance, the reporter asks, "What do you think makes a woman want to have an abortion?"

Buchy is at a loss.

"Well, there's probably a lot of..." he starts, before breaking into laughter. "I'm not a woman. I'm thinking now if I'm a woman, why would I want to get... Some of it has to do with economics. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161813/ohio-heartbeat-bill-co-sponsor-admitted-he-hadn-t-given-the-abortion-thing-much-thoughtmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:58:43 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161851/mass-effect-andromeda-release-date-gameplay-and-initiative-discussed-in-new-interview
Mass Effect: Andromeda's release date is still unknown, but we're eagerly gobbling up any information on the new game while we wait to return to the Bioware's beloved science fiction universe. The latest batch of tidbits comes from Mass Effect: Andromeda's creative director, Mac Walters, and producer, Fabrice Condominas, who discussed the game's plot, details and release date in an interview with Eurogamer.

Before we dive in, check out this awesome gameplay trailer for Mass Effect: Andromeda if you haven't already.

Source: YouTubeMass Effect: Andromeda release date is still on trackWhen asked if the game would still ship in Spring 2017 as previously promised, Condominas confirmed that the planned release date wasn't in danger. Even so, the company still isn't ready to announce an exact day for the launch.

There's absolutely no reason to be worried. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161851/mass-effect-andromeda-release-date-gameplay-and-initiative-discussed-in-new-interviewdennis@mic.com (Dennis Scimeca)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:52:20 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161749/reasons-millennial-shaming-needs-to-stop-now-income-inequality-social-mobility-and-the-american-dream
The word "snowflake" may have once described frozen precipitation, but today it's increasingly being used to describe young people, as a way of mocking millennials for perceived oversensitivity and preciousness.

"Snowflake" is often used to connote liberalism when it's used in a derogatory way: On Sunday, former congressman Allen West tweeted the following praise for Texas Gov. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161749/reasons-millennial-shaming-needs-to-stop-now-income-inequality-social-mobility-and-the-american-dreamjdennin@mic.com (James Dennin)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:05:17 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161803/7-empowering-quotes-from-2016-you-can-live-by-in-the-new-year
Let's be honest: 2016 was hard.

The world lost some of the most beloved and inspiring people: David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, Muhammad Ali, Leonard Cohen, Gwen Ifill and recently, John Glenn. In June, we saw one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. The presidential election was one of the most bizarre and psychologically tolling elections in recent history. Donald Trump was elected president despite multiple allegations of sexual assault and despite hateful rhetoric against Muslims, Latinos, refugees and women. In the immediate aftermath of the election, hate crimes against minorities skyrocketed.

However, there is a silver lining. The traumatic moments that defined 2016 brought many Americans together. People stood in solidarity with LGBTQ communities after the Pulse shooting and marched in the streets to protest the election results. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161803/7-empowering-quotes-from-2016-you-can-live-by-in-the-new-yearsharvard@mic.com (Sarah Harvard)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:30:01 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161783/dylann-roof-s-fbi-confession-tape-played-for-jury-on-day-3-of-trial-i-had-to-do-it
CHARLESTON, S.C. — "I went to that church in Charleston and, uh, I did it."

In a videotaped FBI interview played in the third day of his capital hate crimes trial, Dylann Roof confessed to killing nine black churchgoers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.

"I just finally decided that I had to do it," Roof told a South Carolina FBI agent, who was called to the stand Thursday to talk about the day he secured an unambiguous admission of guilt from the then-21-year-old Roof.

Roof's full-throated confession isn't exactly enough for federal prosecutors to secure a guilty verdict on charges that Roof, a professed white supremacist, was motivated by racial hatred. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161783/dylann-roof-s-fbi-confession-tape-played-for-jury-on-day-3-of-trial-i-had-to-do-itaaron@mic.com (Aaron Morrison)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:08:34 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161805/star-wars-battlefront-2-release-date-2017-rogue-one-dlc-hints-at-what-s-coming-next
Star Wars Battlefront 2 isn't launching until late 2017, but the new Rogue One: Scarif DLC may offer some clue as to what we should expect from next year's release. Old-school Star Wars Battlefront fans from the PlayStation 2 era should take the expansion as a hopeful sign that developer Dice is trying to amend the shortcomings of last year's relaunched Battlefront, and setting different priorities for the development of Star Wars Battlefront 2.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 release date 2017: How Battlefront lost its way from its Battlefield rootsWhen the original Star Wars Battlefront was released for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in September 2004, it hewed closely to the combined arms combat mantra of the Battlefield series. Players could spawn as infantry and run around while shooting at other players. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161805/star-wars-battlefront-2-release-date-2017-rogue-one-dlc-hints-at-what-s-coming-nextdennis@mic.com (Dennis Scimeca)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:30:34 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161777/scott-pruitt-climate-change-how-many-global-warming-deniers-are-on-trump-s-team
Advocates for climate change were incensed this week after President-elect Donald Trump appointed noted climate change denier Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Though Reuters points out that there are many existing environmental regulations that may not be so easy to reverse, climate change denial is shaping up to be a widespread epidemic on Team Trump. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161777/scott-pruitt-climate-change-how-many-global-warming-deniers-are-on-trump-s-teamadurkee@mic.com (Alison Durkee)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:37:24 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161816/t-j-miller-arrested-ahead-of-hosting-the-22nd-critics-choice-awards
The host of the 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards is in the news, and not just for his nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy series. T.J. Miller, the Silicon Valley star and host of the upcoming Critics' Choice Awards, has been arrested for allegedly slapping his Uber driver, TMZ reports. The cause of the alleged altercation? President-elect Donald Trump.

TMZ is reporting that Miller was picked up by an Uber from the GQ Man of the Year party Friday morning. The driver claims the two got in an argument over the newly elected president, leading Miller to slap him upside his head.

The report states that the driver did not have any visible injuries, and T.J. Miller has been released without having to post bail. Sources tell TMZ that the actor did appear intoxicated.

The arrest occurred just a few days before the awards ceremony, which Miller also hosted in January 2016. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161816/t-j-miller-arrested-ahead-of-hosting-the-22nd-critics-choice-awardsjberman@mic.com (Jason Berman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:03:01 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161774/donald-trump-creates-massive-safe-space-to-keep-feminists-away-from-inauguration
The Women's March on Washington was slated to take place at the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 21. According to a Facebook event page, more than 138,000 were expected to march to "send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights," according to the event page. But now, marchers will have to find a new space to send that message.

On behalf of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, the National Park Service has taken precautions to secure large areas of Washington, D.C. in observance of Inauguration Day, the Guardian reported. The legislation also established a "massive omnibus blocking permit" for several of D.C.'s landmark political locations — including the Lincoln Memorial — for time both before and after Jan. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161774/donald-trump-creates-massive-safe-space-to-keep-feminists-away-from-inaugurationrvalencia@mic.com (Robert Valencia)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:29:02 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161799/the-fate-of-the-furious-what-does-the-new-fast-furious-title-mean
The eighth installment in the wildly successful Fast & Furious franchise now has a title. It was announced Friday on the film's Twitter page, just days before the first trailer will be released, that the title will be The Fate of the Furious.

It's official! The title of #F8 is THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS. Tune-in live on @Facebook this Sunday for the trailer debut! https://t.co/EtTwdcxtpX

While the first film in the series, The Fast and the Furious, was a simple car racing film, the franchise has evolved into so much more. With seven films currently released, the Fast & Furious franchise has become one of the most successful in recent memory. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161799/the-fate-of-the-furious-what-does-the-new-fast-furious-title-meanjberman@mic.com (Jason Berman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:00:21 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161801/pokemon-go-frappuccino-recipe-and-photos-how-to-order-the-drink-at-starbucks
Though an early leaked spilled the beans on Reddit a few days ahead of schedule, Starbucks and Niantic — the company that developed Pokémon Go — have now officially partnered to transform 7,800 Starbucks locations in the U.S. into PokéStops and gyms. To promote this, Starbucks is offering a new Pokémon Go-themed Frappuccino. Here's the recipe, along with photos of the new drink and everything else you need to know.

Pokémon Go Frappuccino recipeAccording to the Starbucks website, the Pokémon Go Frappuccino is a vanilla bean Frappuccino with raspberry syrup and freeze-dried blackberries mixed in. As far as we can tell this is a caffeine-free drink. It's still loaded with sugar, though, so if that's a concern you should probably steer clear.

Don't be surprised if a barista at your local Starbucks doesn't know what you're talking about when you try to order one of these babies, as I experienced earlier this morning. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161801/pokemon-go-frappuccino-recipe-and-photos-how-to-order-the-drink-at-starbuckstim@mic.com (Tim Mulkerin)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:08:34 +0000http://mic.com/articles/160604/ohio-heartbeat-bill-is-not-the-state-s-most-pressing-threat-to-abortion-here-s-what-is
Earlier this week, the Ohio State Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill restricting abortion to before a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is about six weeks after conception. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/160604/ohio-heartbeat-bill-is-not-the-state-s-most-pressing-threat-to-abortion-here-s-what-istalia@mic.com (Talia Jane)Tue, 29 Nov 2016 13:09:15 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161830/how-to-do-2016best-nine-on-instagram-and-put-your-top-9-on-display
Your Instagram feed is probably filled with posts tagged #2016BestNine, showcasing a user's most popular posts from the year. How do you find your best nine? It's pretty simple.

The hashtag seems to originate from a website, appropriately called 2016bestnine.com. All you have to do is go to the website, input your Instagram handle and wait. It might take a few minutes to compile your nine most-liked posts of the year. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161830/how-to-do-2016best-nine-on-instagram-and-put-your-top-9-on-displayalexis@mic.com (Alexis Kleinman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:29:01 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161770/street-harassers-in-buenos-aires-will-now-face-a-60-fine-for-their-catcalls
Buenos Aires' city council voted on Wednesday to make catcalling a punishable offense.

According to Resumen Latinoamericano, the law groups street harassment with crimes that would earn someone a fine of up to $1,000 or community service, terming it a violation of "general dignity" and "physical and moral integrity" based on someone's gender, identity or sexual orientation.

"Some forms of sexual harassment in public are accepted as a traditional part of our culture," Pablo Ferreyra, the legislator responsible for the bill, told the BBC. "That should not be a reason to tolerate this abuse."

The legislation comes in the wake of October's protests sparked by the rape and murder of Lucia Perez, a 16-year-old who was drugged, assaulted and left for dead, prompting multiple strikes, including walkouts from work and marches in which thousands of women dressed in black. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161770/street-harassers-in-buenos-aires-will-now-face-a-60-fine-for-their-catcallsmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:12:31 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161751/j-cole-4-your-eyez-only-tracklist-top-tracks-from-the-mc-s-raw-emotional-new-album
Jermaine Cole is dead set on keeping his platinum with no features title going.

It first became part of his alias after his previous featureless album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, went platinum (eventually double platinum) in 2015. And for his fourth studio album, 4 Your Eyez Only, he's looking to repeat that trick. The album, which dropped on Friday, includes no featured guest artists and minimal writing help, according to the credits. It has led to some gleefully merciless digs on rap Twitter, aimed at some of the very same artists Cole may have took to task on "False Prophets," the cut that sparked the rampant anticipation for this album but oddly did not make the final track list.

Drake's album writing credits vs J.Cole's album writing credits.

After even a single listen to 4 Your Eyez Only, that omission begins to make sense. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161751/j-cole-4-your-eyez-only-tracklist-top-tracks-from-the-mc-s-raw-emotional-new-albumtom@mic.com (Tom Barnes)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:09:51 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161754/spider-man-homecoming-trailer-how-the-new-marvel-movie-connects-to-the-avengers
Tom Holland, the 20-year-old English actor, has officially taken over the role of Spider-Man, and unlike Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire before him, the young dude is playing the superhero as a 15-year-old. We saw a little bit of Holland's take on Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, but the first trailer for his stand alone film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, has arrived, and shows that the relationship Spider-Man forged with the Avengers in the Captain America film is a lasting one.

While the Garfield and Maguire Spider-Man films were self-contained (Sony Pictures only recently gave the rights to the character to Marvel), with the hero never appearing alongside other heroes from the Marvel universe, the same thing can't be said for Holland's Spider-Man. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161754/spider-man-homecoming-trailer-how-the-new-marvel-movie-connects-to-the-avengerseric@mic.com (Eric Eidelstein)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:34:54 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161352/dead-rising-4-ps4-release-date-when-is-the-xbox-one-exclusive-over
Dead Rising 4 is available now for Xbox One and Windows 10, but what about PS4? PlayStation fans are still waiting their turn for some zombie-killing mayhem, but we still don't know exactly when the Dead Rising 4 PS4 release date will be.

Dead Rising 4 PS4 Release Date: How long will we have to wait?Microsoft first revealed Dead Rising 4 back at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June 2016. However, we soon learned that the game was actually a timed exclusive, meaning it would eventually expand to competing platforms. In a statement to GameSpot, the company revealed that a PS4 version would be possible a full year after the initial launch.

"'Dead Rising 4' on Xbox One is developed by Capcom and will be published in partnership with Microsoft," the company said. "Fans will be able to play 'Dead Rising 4' first on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC this December. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161352/dead-rising-4-ps4-release-date-when-is-the-xbox-one-exclusive-overjkleinman@mic.com (Jacob Kleinman)Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:13:51 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161797/christian-siriano-speaks-out-on-dressing-melania-trump-i-need-to-see-how-it-goes
Designer Christian Siriano has finally broken his silence over whether or not he would consider dressing Melania Trump.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, in which he gushed about dressing Michelle Obama at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Siriano still seemed unsure about dressing Trump.

Christian Siriano Source: Mic /Getty Images The statement comes a few weeks after Mic reached out to Siriano's team and were told he wasn't issuing any political statements at the time. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161797/christian-siriano-speaks-out-on-dressing-melania-trump-i-need-to-see-how-it-goesrachel@mic.com (Rachel Lubitz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:48:44 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161390/10-stylish-glasses-for-the-holidays-from-krewe-ray-ban-and-more
Owning a pair of fashionable glasses doesn't require a prescription and, with a few exceptions, they can fit just about anyone who's willing to rock a pair. Yes, sunglasses have always been around for the fun of wearing frames. But there are a ton of options for people who want to wear non-tinted frames for style.

For that, we have brands like EyeBuyDirect that make lenses for digital screen protection. Then there's Warby Parker, which has all types of frames for those who need a fly upgrade. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161390/10-stylish-glasses-for-the-holidays-from-krewe-ray-ban-and-moredani.kwateng@gmail.com (Danielle Kwateng-Clark)Tue, 06 Dec 2016 18:32:57 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161784/linda-mc-mahon-trump-nominee-for-sba-donated-7m-to-his-campaign
World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon was more than a vocal Donald Trump supporter during the 2016 campaign. She contributed $7 million to pro-Trump super PACs, CBS News reported Friday.

The Trump transition officially announced McMahon as Trump's nominee to lead the Small Business Administration on Wednesday. Like others members of Trump's cabinet, McMahon's fortune is vast. But her support of his campaign is much larger than some other Trump nominees. For example, Wilbur Ross, Trump's pick for Commerce secretary, supported Trump and the Republican Party with hundreds of thousands of dollars, not millions.

The appearance of "pay-to-play" is noteworthy given the attacks Trump leveled at Hillary Clinton for contributions her foundation received from foreign governments while she was secretary of state. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161784/linda-mc-mahon-trump-nominee-for-sba-donated-7m-to-his-campaignwdrabold@mic.com (Will Drabold)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:16:21 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161752/polar-vortex-2016-what-it-is-and-how-it-could-make-this-winter-miserable-for-americans
Remember that polar vortex in 2014 that dealt much of the United States its coldest winter in 20 years? Well, get ready friends, because it seems the weather phenomenon with the meme-worthy sci-fi moniker is back.

According to meteorologists, brutal cold reminiscent of that January 2014 punisher is due to arrive in the Midwest and Northeast early next week, Reuters reports. Though the lack of snow cover in many places should make for less severe weather than the 2014 cold snap, models predict that temperatures will dip 30 to 50 degrees below normal in some locations by Wednesday morning, according to the Washington Post.

The Midwest could face temperature highs in the single digits, USA Today reports. The vortex will likely weaken as it heads east, though temperatures are still likely to be well below normal levels. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161752/polar-vortex-2016-what-it-is-and-how-it-could-make-this-winter-miserable-for-americansericlutz@mic.com (Eric Lutz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:31:58 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161742/nocturnal-animals-review-does-tom-ford-hate-women
You have to assume no director wants audiences walking out of his movie thinking that he "hates women." But fashion designer Tom Ford's approach to Nocturnal Animals, his second film, makes you think that perhaps this one did.

[Editor's note: Spoilers ahead for Nocturnal Animals.]

Nocturnal Animals certainly has a lot going on. It has Amy Adams as Susan Morrow, a wealthy woman and gallerina with rather severe taste in lipstick shades. It has Armie Hammer as Hutton Morrow, her hunky but disinterested husband. The two of them live in a fabulous Los Angeles mansion with a staff of attendants, but all the help in the world can't stop Hutton from flying off to New York to cheat on Susan.

One weekend while Hutton is away, Susan received a package from her ex-husband, author Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal). He's written a grisly novel, titled Nocturnal Animals (get it?), in reference to how he used to call her a nocturnal animal. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161742/nocturnal-animals-review-does-tom-ford-hate-womenkevin@mic.com (Kevin O'Keeffe)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:30:36 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161744/jim-o-neill-trump-s-potential-fda-head-thinks-drugs-should-be-approved-without-efficacy
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump's transition team was considering Silicon Valley investor and libertarian Jim O'Neill to spearhead the Food and Drug Administration. Critics note that the O'Neill, who is an associate of billionaire Trump-backer Peter Thiel, not only lacks the experience to run this federal agency, but also holds controversial views on drug safety.

Over the last five decades, the FDA chief has either been a trained physician or a respected scientific researcher, according to Bloomberg. O'Neill, on the other hand, doesn't have a medical background. According to Forbes, O'Neill would also represent a conflict of interest because he has worked at Theil's Mithril Capital, a venture capital firm that has helped launch medical companies. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161744/jim-o-neill-trump-s-potential-fda-head-thinks-drugs-should-be-approved-without-efficacyrvalencia@mic.com (Robert Valencia)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:35:36 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161759/neo-nazis-want-to-boycott-rogue-one-but-star-wars-has-always-been-about-beating-nazis
Prior to the release of The Force Awakens, men's rights activists called for a boycott of the film, because apparently the concept of a female lead (who ended up being a lightsaber-wielding badass) was too much to bare. We can safely define that "boycott" as a failure, considering The Force Awakens became the highest grossing film in America — ever.

That mentality has appeared to inspire another group to attack the Star Wars franchise: Neo-Nazis. It seems the latest film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which comes out Dec. 16, is "anti-white" even though the lead in the film is white. Though perhaps it's also unsettling for some that the lead — like The Force Awakens — also happens to be a woman. This movement against Rogue One appears to stem from one of its writers, Chris Weitz, unleashing a barrage of negative tweets about President-elect Donald Trump.

It's led to the hashtag #DumpStarWars trending on Twitter. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161759/neo-nazis-want-to-boycott-rogue-one-but-star-wars-has-always-been-about-beating-nazismiles@mic.com (Miles Surrey)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:47:14 +0000http://mic.com/articles/158994/top-chef-made-black-and-white-chefs-compete-on-an-old-slave-plantation-guess-who-won
Bravo's Top Chef is in some hot water.

On Dec. 1, the celebrated food competition show aired the first episode of its 14th season, but viewers were not pleased. The show was partly set at Boone Hall Plantation, a historic 17th-century slave plantation in Charleston, South Carolina. It's one of America's oldest working plantations, and it still has nine slave cabins and exhibitions that are open to the public. Notably, the plantation was the setting for one of the most romantic movies of all time — several scenes of The Notebook were filmed at Boone Hall Plantation.

People on Twitter slammed Top Chef for hosting an episode at a former slave plantation.

Watching first episode Top Chef now. Disgusted that they are filming at a slave plantation, w no context. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/158994/top-chef-made-black-and-white-chefs-compete-on-an-old-slave-plantation-guess-who-wonaorlov@mic.com (Alex Orlov)Wed, 09 Nov 2016 06:01:28 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161679/new-transgender-survey-shows-widespread-discrimination-against-trans-americans
Due to widespread discrimination, transgender Americans face many barriers to health, economic security, education and more, according to the results of a new survey from the National Center for Transgender Equality.

The report exposes the many hardships and barriers transgender Americans face on a daily basis. The survey encompassed the views and experiences of 27,715 transgender Americans.

"It is clear that there is still much work ahead to ensure that transgender
people can live without fear of discrimination and violence," the report states, despite several gains in the past years.

Here's an overview of the numbers:

Trouble begins in the family While 60% of transgender respondents said that they grew up with a supportive family, 45% of survey respondents from unsupportive families said they experienced homelessness. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161679/new-transgender-survey-shows-widespread-discrimination-against-trans-americansmathew@mic.com (Mathew Rodriguez)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:17:18 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161766/pokemon-go-starbucks-update-promotion-brings-glitches-and-bug-but-no-new-pokemon
Pokémon Go players hitting Starbucks yesterday for a Pokémon-themed Frappuccino also found comedy waiting for them, thanks to the recent update.

The creation of 7,800 new PokéStops and gyms overnight was bound to create some issues for Pokémon Go. Players on The Silph Road subreddit have been chronicling these bugs and a few of them are pretty funny.

These blue and yellow 'Pokémon Go' gyms have phased together. Pokémon-themed Frappuccinos may or may not be involved.Source: F1ash0ut/RedditPokémon Go Starbucks update: Promotion creates PokéStop and gym errors.The relevance of the Starbucks promotion is of course tied to population and Starbucks location densities. Some Pokémon Go players may notice no change to their local playing environment whatsoever. Other players could find radical changes following the partnership going live on Dec. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161766/pokemon-go-starbucks-update-promotion-brings-glitches-and-bug-but-no-new-pokemondennis@mic.com (Dennis Scimeca)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:08:01 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161795/2016-election-cyberattack-investigation-obama-orders-probe-into-possible-russian-activity
The White House has ordered an extensive intelligence report on the 2016 election to consider the potential role of cyberattacks and foreign interference, Reuters reported on Friday.

"The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process, and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress," homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco told a group gathered at a Christian Science Monitor event on Friday.

A voter in Colorado on Nov. 8Source: David Zalubowski/APMonaco, who was a senior FBI official during the 2008 presidential election, said that the agency had to tell both Barack Obama and John McCain that China had conducted cyberattacks on both campaigns, Reuters reported.

"We've seen in 2008 and in this last election system malicious cyber activity," Monaco said. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161795/2016-election-cyberattack-investigation-obama-orders-probe-into-possible-russian-activityaswartz@mic.com (Anna Swartz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:33:51 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161758/super-mario-run-price-online-only-is-it-worth-9-99-free-demo-may-be-enough
When Shigeru Miyamoto — creator of the Mario, Zelda and Donkey Kong series — took the stage during the Sept. 7 Apple event to reveal Super Mario Run, the first Mario game for mobile devices, I was ecstatic. A big part of that excitement had to do with the way Miyamoto pitched it on-stage.

"What's new is you can play the game one-handed for the very first time," Miyamoto said through his translator, Nintendo's director of product marketing Bill Trinen. "What that means is you can play while holding onto a handle on the subway, while eating a hamburger or while eating an apple."

Source: Kotaku/YouTubeWell, it turns out the example that caught my eye — "while holding onto a handle on the subway" — isn't going to pan out a vast majority of the time.

Miyamoto just revealed that Super Mario Run requires an active internet connection to work. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161758/super-mario-run-price-online-only-is-it-worth-9-99-free-demo-may-be-enoughtim@mic.com (Tim Mulkerin)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:46:09 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161775/fuller-house-season-2-breaks-the-fourth-wall-by-addressing-mary-kate-and-ashley-olsen
In its first season, Fuller House memorably (and in a somewhat groan-worthy fashion) nodded at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's refusal to return to play Michelle Tanner by breaking the fourth wall, staring right at the audience. In the second season, they do it once again.

[Editor's note: Spoilers ahead for the second season of Fuller House.]

During the season's sixth episode, a Thanksgiving special, DJ offers a blessing before dinner in which she thanks God for collecting the whole family for the holiday. Then she acknowledges that one member is indeed missing.

"We miss Michelle," DJ says. "Hope that she'll be with us next year."

Then Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) leans back in his chair, looks directly at camera, and says, "Come, it'll be fun."

Uncle Jesse on 'Fuller House'Source: Mic/NetflixThe division between the Olsens and the rest of the Full House cast is rather infamous at this point. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161775/fuller-house-season-2-breaks-the-fourth-wall-by-addressing-mary-kate-and-ashley-olsenkevin@mic.com (Kevin O'Keeffe)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:31:44 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161645/the-truth-about-united-charging-for-overhead-storage-and-why-airfare-costs-are-rising
Flying sucks and rarely feels cheap enough, so it's no wonder people freaked out after the Washington Post resurfaced news Tuesday suggesting United Airlines might eliminate free use of overhead bins on flights.

Outraged consumers, including actor Daniel Dae Kim, took to Twitter to complain and protest the change with an online petition, which has garnered more than 2,500 signatures as of publication.

Seriously???? -- United Airlines will begin charging to use overhead bins in 2017 - The Denver Post https://t.co/e6OQ9CYrqI

The anger makes sense. Whenever one airline begins charging for an amenity, others tend to follow, as Wired points out. When American Airlines announced in 2008 they would start charging to check bags, people were outraged for moment. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161645/the-truth-about-united-charging-for-overhead-storage-and-why-airfare-costs-are-risingjdennin@mic.com (James Dennin)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:04:59 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161743/donald-trump-somehow-found-a-way-to-gripe-about-being-named-time-person-of-the-year
During Thursday night's stop on his "Thank You" tour, President-elect Donald Trump spoke to a Des Moines, Iowa, crowd about being named Time's Person of the Year. While Trump had previously told Today that getting the cover spot was a "tremendous honor," Trump was singing a slightly different tune in Iowa, suggesting that the wording of the title was a concession to "political correctness."

"I was lucky enough to receive the Time Person of the Year," Trump said. "They used to call it 'Man of the Year,' but they can't do that anymore, so they call it 'person.' They want to be politically correct. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161743/donald-trump-somehow-found-a-way-to-gripe-about-being-named-time-person-of-the-yearaswartz@mic.com (Anna Swartz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:33:55 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161737/americans-believe-muslims-face-the-most-discrimination-in-the-us-new-survey-says
Within the past three years, there has been a major numerical shift in how American society perceives Muslims.

A Pew Research Center survey, released on Thursday, finds that 82% of Americans believe Muslims face discrimination in the United States. A majority (57%) believe they face "a lot" of unjust or prejudicial treatment, which is a 12% increase from 2013.

The survey revealed that Americans believe Muslims face discrimination the most, with blacks (76%), gays and lesbians (76%), Hispanics (70%) and women (60%) following behind. The survey also says a lot fewer Americans think Jews (44%) and evangelical Christians (42%) face a lot or some discrimination. About 39% of Americans say whites face some form of discrimination in the U.S.

The new findings also said that about 49% of Americans believe that Islam is no more likely than other faiths to promote violence. The percentage varies from different education levels. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161737/americans-believe-muslims-face-the-most-discrimination-in-the-us-new-survey-sayssharvard@mic.com (Sarah Harvard)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:12:08 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161684/la-la-land-soundtrack-everything-to-know-about-lyricist-team-benj-pasek-and-justin-paul
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, professionally known as Pasek and Paul, are having a very good year. They're the wordsmiths behind the lyrics in Damien Chazelle's new movie La La Land, out in theaters Friday — and their star, already on the rise, is about to blow up.

Yes, their 2016 has been, in a word, massive. They're the subject of New York Times profiles and walking red carpets for not one, but two major musical projects. In addition to La La Land, the pair's new show Dear Evan Hansen bowed on Broadway to rave reviews.

Here's what to know about the pair, as well as a short survey of their work before and after breaking out big.

Previous workSource: Quaseruivo/YouTubePasek and Paul met when they attended the University of Michigan, working together almost immediately and winning coveted Jonathan Larson Awards just a year after graduating. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161684/la-la-land-soundtrack-everything-to-know-about-lyricist-team-benj-pasek-and-justin-paulkevin@mic.com (Kevin O'Keeffe)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:37:06 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161765/today-trump-s-america-is-starkly-divided-are-states-too-different-for-us-to-reunite
This is Mic's daily read on Donald Trump's America — and how it affects you.

Welcome to America's only political newsletter powered by John Glenn's heroism. Would you like to receive this a daily email in your inbox? Subscribe here.

Highlights:

Today: Former senator and astronaut John Glenn has died.

More: With all the votes in California counted, Clinton won more ballots there than all the votes cast in Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia combined.

Even more: Those jobs Trump "saved" at the Indiana Carrier plant? They may leave anyway.

In an appearance on MSNBC's All In With Chris Hayes Thursday night, Sanders also called Trump a "pathological liar" who can't be trusted to stand up for workers.

"What do you do when you have a president-elect, soon to be president, who — and I say this not happily, but I think most people who observe him would agree — is a pathological liar who changes his mind every single day?" Sanders said in response to Hayes' question about whether Trump supporters will hold him responsible for the economy once in office.

@BernieSanders: Trump is a "pathological liar" #inners

"You're asking, 'Does any of that matter?'" Sanders continued. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161746/bernie-sanders-calls-trump-a-pathological-liar-in-scorching-interviewstefan@mic.com (Stefan Becket)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:45:16 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161764/super-mario-run-android-release-date-here-s-why-you-have-to-wait-to-download-the-game
Super Mario Run is set to hit iOS devices next week (you can already demo the game at the Apple Store), but Android users still don't have a set release date. Now we finally know why some Mario fans will have to wait longer than others to download Super Mario Run.

Super Mario Run Android release date: What's taking so long?Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who helped invent Mario and produced the new game, explained why Super Mario Run is coming to iOS first in an interview with Mashable. The issue boils down to piracy and a desire to protect the game from hackers.

Here's why the Super Mario Run Android release date is taking so long, in Miyamoto's own words:

For us, we view our software as being a very important asset for us. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161764/super-mario-run-android-release-date-here-s-why-you-have-to-wait-to-download-the-gamejkleinman@mic.com (Jacob Kleinman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:02:54 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161682/is-pokemon-go-down-or-not-working-heres-what-to-do-if-the-servers-go-down
There's not much you can do if Pokémon Go is down or not working. You cannot fix a server outage on your own, so as far as playing again goes, you really have no choice but to be patient and wait for the servers to come back online, and that's the end of it.

Thankfully, you don't have to be in the dark about what's going on while you wait. The Pokémon Go online community has you covered, and you'll know precisely when you can get back to catching Pokémon.

Niantic's official blog for 'Pokémon Go' is the best source for general updates, but not up-to-the-minute server outage status reports.Source: Niantic/Pokémon Go LiveIs Pokémon Go down? Check for server outage updates on Twitter and Facebook.The Pokémon Go Servers Twitter feed does an excellent job at providing info on server status. It is a third-party account, however. If you only want official updates, you can follow the Pokémon Go App feed instead. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161682/is-pokemon-go-down-or-not-working-heres-what-to-do-if-the-servers-go-downdennis@mic.com (Dennis Scimeca)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:28:11 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161687/the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-us-could-get-worse-under-donald-trump
On average, women in the American workforce are paid 83 cents for every dollar a man makes. Many people in the United States don't think this should be the case. Rather, most people have said they support equal pay — including President-elect Donald Trump and some of his compatriots in the Republican Party.

And yet, Trump and other conservatives have either waffled on the issue or flat out opposed policies that could help close the gender wage gap, which — much like pay in the U.S. — doesn't reach workers equally. Women of color fare far worse than white women when it comes to the wage gap, and disproportionately occupy the minimum- and low-wage jobs that make it tough to achieve financial security. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161687/the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-us-could-get-worse-under-donald-trumpjennymkutner@gmail.com (Jenny Kutner)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:46:27 +0000http://mic.com/articles/160610/jill-stein-s-recounts-are-in-trouble-here-s-what-s-happening-in-all-3-states
Early Friday, ABC reported that a federal judge is set to hold a hearing on stopping the presidential recount in Wisconsin. The Michigan recount has been effectively halted on the basis that former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein — who filed for recounts in three states — failed to show an "entitlement" to the recount. Meanwhile, efforts in Pennsylvania were escalated from state to federal courts in order to allow recount efforts to proceed after a state judge ordered a $1 million bond.

Stein's last-ditch attempts to challenge the Nov. 8 election results appear to be in serious trouble — with the Dec. 13 federal deadline to certify election results just days away.

Michigan — Stein is not "aggrieved" A federal judge in Michigan ruled Wednesday that Stein had no grounds to call for a recount because she was not an "aggrieved candidate" as defined by Michigan state law. U.S. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/160610/jill-stein-s-recounts-are-in-trouble-here-s-what-s-happening-in-all-3-statestalia@mic.com (Talia Jane)Tue, 29 Nov 2016 13:24:34 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161741/russia-doped-over-1-000-of-its-olympic-athletes-new-wada-report-finds
The Russian government created a methodical scheme to give its athletes performance-enhancing drugs without getting caught during the 2012 London Olympics and other international games, according to a World Anti-Doping Agency report published Friday.

Established Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren was commissioned by WADA to conduct an exhaustive investigation into allegations of such a cover-up.

"An institutional conspiracy existed across summer and winter sports athletes
who participated with Russian officials within the Ministry of Sport and its
infrastructure ... along
with the [Russian Federal Security Service] for the purposes of manipulating doping controls," the report finds.

The forensic testing and evidence leaves no room for ambiguity, McLaren wrote, who concluded "the conspiracy" was executed from 2011 to 2015, but possibly went on for much longer. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161741/russia-doped-over-1-000-of-its-olympic-athletes-new-wada-report-findsnatasha@mic.com (Natasha Noman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:27:47 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161739/this-account-proves-that-instagram-s-fight-against-nipples-is-totally-sexist
When Miley Cyrus showed off one of hers in a black and white portrait, Instagram immediately deleted it. When Chrissy Teigen dared to show just the side of one of hers, Instagram took it down. And when comedian Chelsea Handler showed off both of hers when she posted a video of herself wakeboarding while topless (naturally), Instagram jumped on it as well.

Of course we're talking about nipples here, Instagram's greatest foe. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161739/this-account-proves-that-instagram-s-fight-against-nipples-is-totally-sexistrachel@mic.com (Rachel Lubitz)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:17:51 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161711/florida-weed-laws-what-to-know-about-legalization-in-the-sunshine-state
On Election Day, Floridians overwhelmingly voted in favor of Amendment 2, a bill that expands the use of medical marijuana for patients with debilitating diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, cancer and other conditions. According to some legal experts, Florida's legalization of medical marijuana use is a victory for supporters of national marijuana law reform.

Where can you get medical marijuana in Florida? So far, four companies have been authorized to distribute medical marijuana, the Associated Press reports. The first dispensaries are located in Tallahassee, Tampa, Clearwater and southern Miami-Dade County. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161711/florida-weed-laws-what-to-know-about-legalization-in-the-sunshine-statervalencia@mic.com (Robert Valencia)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:42:19 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161416/stan-wars-the-beyhive-vs-the-navy-why-beyonc-and-rihanna-s-fanbases-refuse-to-play-nice
"The Navy are very delusional," said Beyhive member Ray Leday. "I think they get the accolades mixed up with talent. I hate when they are compared, someone who's ten years in the industry versus someone twenty years in the industry, who's put in the work, who's always working to be better, to overachieve, and I don't feel like Rihanna has that and her fans think that, and it's just... girl... it's not the same."

"The BeyHive are the most pathetic human beings to grace the universe," said Navy member Devin Francis. "I've never met a more narcissistic fanbase in my life. They hold Beyoncé to a level of excellence, the level of a Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston, and she just doesn't have the accolades to show for it."

Rihanna and BeyoncéThe similarities between Beyoncé and Rihanna run deep. They are two of the most successful musical acts on the planet, period. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161416/stan-wars-the-beyhive-vs-the-navy-why-beyonc-and-rihanna-s-fanbases-refuse-to-play-niceevanrosskatz@gmail.com (Evan Ross Katz)Tue, 06 Dec 2016 20:49:44 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161732/i-don-t-wanna-live-forever-lyrics-words-to-the-new-fifty-shades-darker-song
One of the more anticipated films of 2017 is Fifty Shades Darker, the follow-up to Fifty Shades of Grey. The first film, based off the book by author E.L. James, became a massive hit, earning over $570 million worldwide and, until being unseated by Deadpool, secured the largest opening weekend ever for a February release. Fifty Shades Darker should do big business as well, as its initial trailer set records (which have since been broken) for most views in a 24-hour period. Now, Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik have teamed up for what will be the sequel's likely popular song, "I Don't Wanna Live Forever".

fiftyshadesdarker #idontwannaliveforever https://t.co/Q51nqZ4ppX

Fifty Shades of Grey featured the popular song "Earned It" by The Weeknd, earning the artist an Academy Award nomination for best original song. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161732/i-don-t-wanna-live-forever-lyrics-words-to-the-new-fifty-shades-darker-songjberman@mic.com (Jason Berman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:08:27 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161706/pokemon-go-gen-2-release-date-how-to-prep-for-the-next-major-update
Pokémon Go has a big update coming up, and we don't mean minor text fixes. Instead of improved typography, there's the arrival of Gen 2 Pokémon (those introduced after Pokémon Red and Blue in the Gold and Silver line of games).

But only fools rush in unprepared. And there's nothing more foolish than jumping into the Gen 2 Pokémon Go update only to find out you spent all your potential Eevee candies on first generation evolutions. Here's what you need to be aware of in round two of Pokémon Go:

Gen 2 Pokémon like Umbreon will make their way to the new PoGo updateSource: Pokémon anime/Pokémon WikiaPokémon Go Gen 2 Evolutions: Teaching an old Onix new tricksOne of the great things we'll likely see out of the inclusion of Gen 2 Pokémon in Pokémon Go is new evolutions for old pocket monsters. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161706/pokemon-go-gen-2-release-date-how-to-prep-for-the-next-major-updatexharding@mic.com (Xavier Harding)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:18:36 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161738/fuller-house-season-2-who-does-dj-choose
When Fuller House ended its first season, DJ Tanner walked away from a choice — whether to date high school sweetheart Steve or new man Matt — and instead opted to find companionship with her sister and best friend. Season two of Netflix's Full House reboot, sadly, has no time for such nuance.

[Editor's note: Spoilers ahead for the second season of Fuller House.]

Yes, despite hopes that DJ might choose herself once again, the new season of Fuller House does have her make a decision. While the premiere throws her for a loop — both Steve and Matt have new girlfriends — Matt ultimately breaks up with his partner, Crystal, in episode five, declaring his love for DJ. Luckily for him, she declares it back.

'Fuller House'Source: NetflixThere's some momentary doubt on DJ's part when she dances with Steve at her high school reunion in episode 11, but she shakes it off and pledges to be friends with Matt forever. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161738/fuller-house-season-2-who-does-dj-choosekevin@mic.com (Kevin O'Keeffe)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 13:12:58 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161712/this-powerful-photo-series-sheds-light-on-the-prejudice-asian-americans-face-every-day
Students from Bowdoin's Asian Students Association launched a photo campaign with the hashtag #ThisIs2016 to show what it's like to be Asian in the United States.

The series, according to junior Wayland Chiu and sophomore Arah Kang, was largely inspired by a racist encounter New York Times editor Michael Luo shared on Twitter. Luo and his family were heading to get dinner in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York City when a woman verbally attacked him after being initially being annoyed by the stroller he was pushing.

Well dressed woman on Upper East Side, annoyed by our stroller, yells: "Go back to China...go back to your f---ing country." #thisis2016

Those tweets detailed the common — yet unacknowledged — racism Asians endure in the U.S., and Bowdoin's Asian Students Association wanted to initiate a conversation about this reality. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161712/this-powerful-photo-series-sheds-light-on-the-prejudice-asian-americans-face-every-daysharvard@mic.com (Sarah Harvard)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:47:43 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161633/barry-netflix-release-the-president-obama-biopic-america-needs-right-now
With the year coming to a close, it's evident that several people have made an effort to preserve the legacy of our soon-to-be exiting President Barack Obama. In late August we were gifted with Southside with You, a film that takes place during the entire first date between none other than Barack and Michelle Obama, and on Dec. 18 Netflix will release Barry, which goes back to Obama's days at Columbia University.

Barry first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival to positive reception, enough so that Netflix picked it up. Directed by Vikram Gandhi, the movie takes us to 1981, where a college-aged Obama is in the midst of dealing with New York City life and everything that accompanies that.

Source: Netflix US & Canada/YouTube"Barry emerges as an involving and credible portrait of a smart young man with a good deal of growing and learning yet to do," Todd McCarthy wrote in his review for the Hollywood Reporter. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161633/barry-netflix-release-the-president-obama-biopic-america-needs-right-noweric@mic.com (Eric Eidelstein)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:29:38 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161700/best-productivity-apps-books-and-tools-to-jumpstart-your-2017
With a new year comes a new set of resolutions. Boosting productivity, whether it's at the gym, office, library or so on, is typically near the top of the list. Here are some essential apps, books and tools you can use to jumpstart 2017.

WunderlistSource: WunderlistProductive: What's in a name? The life you're about to live, in this case. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161700/best-productivity-apps-books-and-tools-to-jumpstart-your-2017aric@mic.com (Aric Suber-Jenkins)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:49:56 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161622/2016-in-photos-20-moments-that-will-go-down-in-history
Whatever you may think of 2016, it has not been short of momentous events.

From the U.S. presidential election upset to Olympian Ryan Lochte's fabricated mugging story in Rio de Janeiro to the Pakistani chaiwala's 15 minutes of fame, there was no dearth of drama from highbrow to lowbrow to every brow in between.

Here are 20 of some of the biggest moments of 2016, in no particular order.

Beyoncé and her ladies get in formation at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.Beyoncé and her dancers at Super Bowl 50Source: Thearon W. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161622/2016-in-photos-20-moments-that-will-go-down-in-historynatasha@mic.com (Natasha Noman)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:45:28 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161669/the-biggest-civil-rights-moments-of-2016-that-proved-not-all-was-lost
A Republican-controlled Congress and the election of Donald Trump as president have led many who have fought for civil rights to believe that the victories they have attained over the past several decades are now in danger.

"The big concern around where we are headed as a country is really related to all the vitriol that was said during the election cycle being moved into policy," Judith Browne Dianis, the executive director of civil rights group the Advancement Project told CNN. "The xenophobia, the racism, the sexism, could potentially become part of our laws."

But not all hope is lost. Though 2016 may have been a weird year for all of us, we have witnessed major civil rights benchmarks. Here are some of the best civil rights moments of 2016.

And these are well-founded concerns. Trump started his presidential campaign by calling immigrants "rapists" while promising to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161669/the-biggest-civil-rights-moments-of-2016-that-proved-not-all-was-lostrvalencia@mic.com (Robert Valencia)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 18:41:32 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161728/dylann-roof-s-mother-reportedly-collapsed-from-a-heart-attack-during-his-trial
Dylann Roof's mother collapsed on the floor, saying "I'm sorry" several times Wednesday after prosecutors detailed her son's massacre of nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015.

Roof's attorney David Bruck said Thursday in court documents that Roof's mother had a heart attack. He didn't indicate her current state of health.

According to NBC News, Bruck said the testimony of one of the survivors of the attack had "members of the prosecution and defense" as well as court personnel crying along with her and called for a mistrial. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel denied the request.

"The epidemic of fake news and false propaganda that flooded social media over the last year — it's now clear that so-called fake news can have real-world consequences," Clinton said Thursday, according to the Huffington Post.

"This isn't about politics or partisanship. Lives are at risk, lives of ordinary people just trying to go about their days to do their jobs, contribute to their communities."

Clinton was alluding to a conspiracy theory that accused her of orchestrating a child sex ring out of Washington, D.C., pizzeria Comet Ping Pong. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161727/hillary-clinton-calls-out-fake-news-in-farewell-to-senate-minority-leader-harry-reidmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 03:08:52 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161723/legends-of-tomorrow-season-2-episode-8-recap-who-returns-in-the-midseason-finale
In the midseason finale of Legends of Tomorrow, the legends traveled to 1920s Chicago to take down Al Capone after the interference of Damien Darhk, Eobard Thawne and their newest associate, Arrow's Malcolm Merlyn. The episode, titled "The Chicago Way," sets up Legends of Tomorrow for an exciting latter half of the second season.

(Editor's note: Spoilers ahead for season two, episode eight of Legends of Tomorrow.)

Season two, episode eight of Legends of Tomorrow was jam packed, as the series clearly tried to fit as much narrative in as they could before the show's winter hiatus. And while that normally leads to rushed storytelling, "The Chicago Way" turned out to be a strong installment in the time-traveling series.

Wentworth Miller as Leonard SnartSource: Brendan Meadows/The CWLet's clear one thing up: Captain Cold does not return in the midseason finale. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161723/legends-of-tomorrow-season-2-episode-8-recap-who-returns-in-the-midseason-finalejberman@mic.com (Jason Berman)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:51:49 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161725/us-supreme-court-rejects-halt-of-ronald-smith-jr-s-execution
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a stay of execution for Ronald Smith Jr., the 45-year-old man who was sentenced to death by an Alabama judge for killing a convenience store clerk in 1994.

According to BuzzFeed, Smith was scheduled to be executed Thursday. Alabama Department of Corrections spokesperson Bob Horton told to BuzzFeed the execution would be carried out as planned if the court didn't issue a stay.

Smith's attorneys had asked the Supreme Court to stop his execution earlier this month, claiming that Alabama's death penalty violated the Constitution due to its likeness to Florida's, which was declared unconstitutional in October. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161725/us-supreme-court-rejects-halt-of-ronald-smith-jr-s-executionmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Fri, 09 Dec 2016 02:26:18 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161721/california-rep-proposes-bill-requiring-rape-charges-to-appear-on-college-transcripts
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) on Thursday proposed the Safe Transfer Act, a bill that would require a student's rape charges to appear on their college transcript for five years following the resolution of their disciplinary hearings. If a student transfers schools while their case is still pending, the case would still remain on their transcript for a year.

If the legislation succeeds, it would be a huge victory for those fighting to end campus sexual assault, as only two states — Virginia and New York — currently require colleges to indicate a student's rape charges on their transcript.

Many people have slammed the disciplinary process of campus assault cases, maintaining that it favors accusers and destroys the lives of young men. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161721/california-rep-proposes-bill-requiring-rape-charges-to-appear-on-college-transcriptsmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 23:49:47 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161719/donald-trump-will-continue-to-be-the-executive-producer-on-celebrity-apprentice
President-elect Donald Trump will remain the executive producer of his show Celebrity Apprentice, according to an exclusive report from Variety. The president-elect's name will roll in the credits just after Apprentice creator Mark Burnett's. The show is slated to return to television on Jan 2., just 18 days before Trump's inauguration.

Variety estimates Trump will yield a profit in the "low five-figures, at minimum," for his involvement with the show — an issue for production companies MGM and NBC, not to mention, of course, the White House.

"The fact that a sitting president will be on the payroll of a current TV show is another example of the thicket of potential conflicts of interest raised by Trump's segue from private businessman and TV star to commander-in-chief," Variety reported.

Trump attempted to eschew such conflicts of interest by turning over his business empire to his children. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161719/donald-trump-will-continue-to-be-the-executive-producer-on-celebrity-apprenticemarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:56:04 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161663/dylann-roof-trial-day-2-opens-old-wounds-with-photo-evidence-more-emotional-testimony
CHARLESTON, S.C. — On Thursday, the second day of the Dylann Roof trial, supporters of the nine black churchgoers gunned down at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church were present, as jurors were shown graphic evidence of the attack.

First was the video surveillance of the parking lot, the parishioners arriving for Bible study. Next, the jury saw images of the victims' belongings — Bibles, notepads, purses — strewn across tables in the church's fellowship hall.

In yet another photo, an open Bible lies next to an emptied magazine clip.

And then came the panoramas: graphic landscapes revealing the victims' lifeless bodies in pools of blood. These nine lives were claimed in Roof's alleged attempt to make the Emanuel Bible study meeting a flashpoint for a race war.

"There's no shame in stepping out for this," U.S. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161663/dylann-roof-trial-day-2-opens-old-wounds-with-photo-evidence-more-emotional-testimonyaaron@mic.com (Aaron Morrison)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 18:08:36 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161689/uber-cracks-down-on-sexual-harassment-with-a-ban-on-flirting
Maybe you've found yourself in the midst of an Uber pool meet-cute before. Maybe you and your driver have even engaged in some cheeky conversation on your way to your destination. Or maybe your driver tried to get something going — and you just weren't having it. No more, says Uber.

On Thursday, the rideshare company rolled out new community guidelines for both drivers and riders, one of which stands out from the rest: No flirting.

"Don't touch or flirt with other people in the car," reads the company's site. "As a reminder, Uber has a no sex rule. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161689/uber-cracks-down-on-sexual-harassment-with-a-ban-on-flirtingmarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:55:05 +0000http://mic.com/articles/157412/philly-s-pay-what-you-can-restaurant-offers-new-solution-to-food-insecurity
Restaurants and food insecurity often seem to exist in totally different worlds. While at one spectrum people enjoy gluttonous choices of what to eat, affording the luxury of being able to order off a menu and maybe not even feel guilty about leaving an abundance of leftovers on their plates, in the same city, plenty of individuals may not be able to afford a filling meal nor even know where their next meal is coming from.

Such is the case in Philadelphia, where 22% of all Philadelphians are food insecure and the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger reports that 90% of food pantries having empty shelves on at least one occasion throughout 2015. This means, those in need of food for themselves and their families were unable to access the sustenance they needed. For those who need food, read: all humans, that's pretty abysmal. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/157412/philly-s-pay-what-you-can-restaurant-offers-new-solution-to-food-insecuritymkravitz@mic.com (Melissa Kravitz)Fri, 21 Oct 2016 21:01:22 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161713/andrew-puzder-trump-s-pick-for-secretary-of-labor-reportedly-abused-his-wife
Following reports Donald Trump would be choosing CEO Andrew Puzder as his secretary of labor, details of the fast food giant's troubling record with women popped up, pointing to Puzder's role in popularizing sexist advertisements featuring bikini-clad women eating burgers.

Puzder's treatment of women, though, may have been far worse when it came to his marriage. According to the Riverfront Times, Puzder faced accusations of domestic abuse against his first wife Lisa Henning in the 1980s, which became public when the couple filed for divorce in 1989.

The divorce documents detailed multiple incidents of physical assault, the first of which includes Puzder hitting Henning, throwing her to the floor and unplugging the phone when she tried to call the police. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161713/andrew-puzder-trump-s-pick-for-secretary-of-labor-reportedly-abused-his-wifemarie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:59:13 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161535/standing-rock-pipeline-halt-here-s-what-happens-next
On Sunday, a historic victory was declared for the Standing Rock Sioux reservation when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers declined the permit request for the Dakota Access pipeline.

Victory wasn't an easy feat. It took months of protesting by more than 10,000 people and members from over 200 Native American tribes. The 1,172-mile pipeline would run from North Dakota to Illinois, and protesters argued that it could possibly contaminate the water supply on sacred tribal lands.

The Sacred Fire at #StandingRock the moment victory was declared - shot by our own @AndrewJStern

But with the Army Corps' of Engineers decision to halt construction, what happens next?Energy Transfer Partners, the oil company behind the pipeline deal, has been vocal in their public criticism of the Army Corps' decision to prevent construction of the Dakota Access pipeline. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161535/standing-rock-pipeline-halt-here-s-what-happens-nextsharvard@mic.com (Sarah Harvard)Wed, 07 Dec 2016 19:03:31 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161681/andrew-puzder-net-worth-here-s-what-we-know-about-the-millionaire-ceo-of-cke-restaurants
News surfaced on Thursday that President-elect Donald Trump is planning to choose controversial fast food CEO Andrew Puzder for secretary of the Department of Labor.

Though reports differ on exactly how much Puzder is worth, they suggest he is at least a millionaire, so his appointment would further balloon the collective net worth of Trump's Cabinet, which is already the richest in modern history.

Back in 2010, Puzder helped take once-public CKE Restaurants private by selling the company to Apollo Equities, a private equity fund that specializes in helping to turn around troubled businesses.

That has helped shield a lot of the details about Puzder's compensation from the public eye. In fact, Puzder told the St. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161681/andrew-puzder-net-worth-here-s-what-we-know-about-the-millionaire-ceo-of-cke-restaurantsjdennin@mic.com (James Dennin)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:27:50 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161664/the-14-best-funniest-memes-of-2016-from-biden-to-the-mannequin-challenge
The world's warmest year has everything! A spike in hate crimes, a presidential cabinet fit for the 1940s and some of the biggest hacks of all time. Sadly, the cute little Bramble Cay melomys won't be able to join us (RIP).

The verdict is still out on whether we would have survived 2016 without memes, our glimmer of light in this dark, dark year. Feeling the crippling anxiety over the future of your reproductive rights? Relatable wholesome memes are here for you, my friend.

Let's take a moment to appreciate some of the sweet memes that soothed our swelling fear of doom this year. A warning: Some memes we grew to love this year, like Crying Jordan, became popular in 2015 and have thus been omitted. If you have a problem with that, don't talk to me or my editor ever again.

Tag YourselfThere's truly no meme more satisfying than one that nourishes your narcissism. The "Tag Yourself" meme can be traced back to a Tumblr post from January 2016. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161664/the-14-best-funniest-memes-of-2016-from-biden-to-the-mannequin-challengemelanie@mic.com (Melanie Ehrenkranz)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 18:09:16 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161654/super-mario-run-demo-review-first-impressions-of-nintendo-s-mobile-platformer
Full Super Mario Run reviews will have to wait until the iPhone and iPad app has officially released, but today the Super Mario Run demo hits iOS devices on display in all Apple Stores. So if there's a store nearby, you can get a sample of what to expect when the Super Mario Run release date arrives on Dec. 15. If not, you'll just have to wait another week.

I ran out this morning to check out the demo for myself. Here's Mic's early Super Mario Run review, based on what you can play so far at the Apple Store.

Super Mario Run pre-review: Gameplay and initial impressionsThose familiar with the endless runner category of mobile games will feel right at home playing Super Mario Run. The game sees Mario run through levels automatically, calling on you to tap the screen to jump when necessary. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161654/super-mario-run-demo-review-first-impressions-of-nintendo-s-mobile-platformerxharding@mic.com (Xavier Harding)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:28:18 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161655/super-mario-run-release-date-10-android-games-to-play-while-you-wait
Super Mario Run is headed to Apple devices on Dec. 15, but the game's Android release date is still a mystery. If that news has you looking longingly at your friends' iPhones, don't fret! There's a massive, wonderful catalog of excellent games you can play while you wait for Super Mario Run to land in Google Play.

Here are 10 of the best games to occupy your time until Super Mario Run's Android release.

Though the mechanics of twofold inc. are relatively simple — scrolling rows of colored tiles move back and forth to create continuous, mono-colored paths — what makes it stand out is its clean, simple design.

Source: grapefrukt/YouTubeIt has a rich, jewel-tone palette and makes cute R2D2-like beeps and boops as you rack your score up higher and higher.

Price: $3.99

No. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161655/super-mario-run-release-date-10-android-games-to-play-while-you-waittim@mic.com (Tim Mulkerin)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:34:12 +0000http://mic.com/articles/160370/eating-disorders-are-far-more-common-in-lgbtq-communities-here-s-why
Megan, an LGBTQ-identifying Eating Recovery Center alum who asked to be identified only by her first name, wasn't formally diagnosed with an eating disorder until she was 30, though eating was a regular battle for her years prior.

"My eating disorder ruled my life," she said. "I was obsessed with food, and was so afraid to eat. The fear was paralyzing. It was easier for me to deny my body essential nutrients than to face the overwhelming anxiety the mere thought of food caused." As Megan started having significant medical problems, her doctor hospitalized her because he thought her heart might stop. She thought he was overreacting and kept telling herself she was fine.

"But I wasn't fine," Megan said. "I would have to stop in the middle of the stairwell to catch my breath on my way to my second-floor office. The automatic lights in the bathroom stopped turning on when I walked in. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/160370/eating-disorders-are-far-more-common-in-lgbtq-communities-here-s-whymkravitz@mic.com (Melissa Kravitz)Fri, 25 Nov 2016 17:47:46 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161634/rogue-one-release-5-questions-star-wars-fans-want-answered-most
Let's be honest: 2016 has been an awful year. We lost of a plethora of talented artists, climate change is still a thing and Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. But before we bid adieu to 2016, there could be a nice reprieve from its awfulness with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first of three anthology series from the Star Wars franchise.

As a start, we consider this a positive: Rogue One's going to have a distinctly different feel from other Star Wars films. It's the first spin-off movie, yes, but Rogue One ostensibly doesn't include any Jedi, and will be without the franchise's signature opening crawl. It's probably the closest thing Star Wars can have to a gamble, then, by essentially becoming a war film devoid of its biggest characters (aside from Darth Vader).

Heading into the film's release on Dec. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161634/rogue-one-release-5-questions-star-wars-fans-want-answered-mostmiles@mic.com (Miles Surrey)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:31:10 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161650/segment-of-tiny-feathered-dinosaur-s-tail-found-preserved-in-amber-blows-scientific-minds
Scientists have discovered a 99-million-year-old fragment of a dinosaur tail suspended in amber — "a once in a lifetime find," as paleontologist Ryan McKellar told CNN, because it provides rare insight into the way dinos actually looked.

As detailed in a report on the specimen published Thursday in the journal Current Biology, these are "the first non-avialan theropod fragments preserved in amber." The segment is believed to have come from a juvenile dinosaur, possibly a coelurosaurian, according to CNN. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161650/segment-of-tiny-feathered-dinosaur-s-tail-found-preserved-in-amber-blows-scientific-mindsclaire@mic.com (Claire Lampen)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:14:58 +0000http://mic.com/articles/160520/how-much-ram-do-you-need-for-pc-gaming
Most people know that random access memory is an important part of their computer and that the more RAM they have, the faster their computer performs, but that's usually where the understanding ends. RAM increases your computer's performance, certainly, but only in very specific ways. It shouldn't be used as a catch-all fix for a slow computer, since it's really only helping the amount of immediate memory available.

RAM helps govern the amount of multitasking your computer can do. This is further complicated by the amount of memory each of those programs takes, with video- and photo-editing programs requiring a large amount of memory to use. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/160520/how-much-ram-do-you-need-for-pc-gamingaborkowski@mic.com (Alex Borkowski)Mon, 28 Nov 2016 17:39:35 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161653/pokemon-go-gen-2-list-100-new-pokemon-revealed-in-update-code
Sick of waiting for Pokémon Go's "Gen 2" update? You may not have to wait much longer.

The Silph Research group has data mined the code for recent Pokémon Go update 0.49.1/1.19.1. The findings are exciting, because they suggest the very close arrival of Gen 2 Pokémon in Pokémon Go.

All of these Gen 2 Pokémon make noises. The noises need sound files, and experts say that files have been patched in.Source: Game Freak/The Pokémon CompanyPokémon Go Gen 2: Get ready for 100 new Pokemon.Each species of Pokémon in Pokémon Go has its own audio file for the sound it makes when it cries out. The most important finding from the Silph Research data mine was the addition of 100 new sound files for Pokémon cries.

Puzder, 66, is the longtime CEO of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of fast food chains Hardee's and Carl's Jr. He is a staunch opponent of significant increases to the federal minimum wage and supports repeal of the Affordable Care Act, arguing the regulations in the law have hurt businesses. He has also criticized a stalled Obama administration measure to raise the salary threshold for workers to receive overtime benefits.

The news of Puzder's impending nomination was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161626/democrats-and-unions-slam-trump-s-pick-for-labor-secretary-fast-food-ceo-andrew-puzderstefan@mic.com (Stefan Becket)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:03:59 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161676/how-did-fuller-house-end-season-1-finale-recap-before-the-season-2-premiere
Merely 10 months after the first season premiered, Fuller House season two is hitting Netflix Friday, Dec. 9 at 3 a.m. Eastern.

For those hardcore fans of the Full House reboot, the season one finale may remain fresh on the brain. But for most, unless they've rewatched, it's likely the memory of where we left our heroines (DJ Tanner, sister Stephanie and best friend Kimmy Gibbler) will be fuzzy. Let's get caught up, shall we?

[Editor's note: This article contains spoilers for the Fuller House season one finale.]

The first season ended in a semi-elaborate Bachelorette metaphor in which DJ was pushed to choose between two guys: Steve Hale, DJ's ex from her high school years, and Matt Harmon, a new man in her life. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161676/how-did-fuller-house-end-season-1-finale-recap-before-the-season-2-premierekevin@mic.com (Kevin O'Keeffe)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:13:26 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161644/the-best-podcasts-of-2016-you-can-binge-in-the-new-year
2016 was a rough year in many ways, but good art often comes from bad times. Podcasts are no exception, as the past 12 months gave rise to a number of excellent newcomers as well as cementing popular mainstays. If you're looking for some fresh entertainment for the new year, here are six podcasts you should consider listening to.

See Something Say SomethingThe newest member of this list, See Something Say Something, is already off to the races following its inception in October. Ahmed Ali Akbar hosts the Buzzfeed-produced podcast about being Muslim in America — an especially necessary and relevant dialogue in the wake of Donald Trump's election.

Bodega BoysPopular Twitter personalities Desus Nice and The Kid Mero host this hilarious podcast covering an array of topics from the perspective of two native New Yorkers. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161644/the-best-podcasts-of-2016-you-can-binge-in-the-new-yeararic@mic.com (Aric Suber-Jenkins)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:04:24 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161692/giraffes-are-on-their-way-to-becoming-extinct-thanks-to-humans-of-course
According to a new report from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, the global giraffe population is shrinking fast, and giraffes may be on their way to extinction. According to the report, "the global giraffe population has plummeted by up to 40% over the last 30 years," which represents a "devastating decline."

The IUCN maintains a "Red List" of species that are in danger of extinction. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161692/giraffes-are-on-their-way-to-becoming-extinct-thanks-to-humans-of-courseaswartz@mic.com (Anna Swartz)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:07:34 +0000http://mic.com/articles/160669/best-gaming-mouse-2016-2017
Here's an easy resolution for 2017 if you're a PC gamer: Buy yourself a nice gaming mouse. Although it's one of the two main input devices on your computer, people frequently neglect buying a new mouse when upgrading their setup. Whether you're looking to get a competitive edge in a first-person shooter like Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, playing a lot of turn-based strategy games like Civ 6, or looking to dig into some old-school real-time RPGS like Tyranny or the forthcoming Divinity: Original Sin 2, you're going to be playing them with a keyboard and mouse.

Like most other pieces of tech, there's no easy answer to which gaming mouse is "the best" — it all depends on what you want to do with it. However, a good gaming mouse also doesn't need to break the bank. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/160669/best-gaming-mouse-2016-2017aborkowski@mic.com (Alex Borkowski)Tue, 29 Nov 2016 18:46:41 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161660/jennifer-lawrence-laughed-her-way-through-a-story-about-desecrating-native-land-in-hawaii
Oscar winner and box office powerhouse Jennifer Lawrence upset people all over the internet Wednesday when she not only put her foot in her mouth, but left it there when she just kept going with an offensive anecdote during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

During an interview about her upcoming sci-fi drama Passengers, Lawrence laughed her way through a story about how she used some rocks, which she knew were sacred to native Hawaiians, to scratch her butt.

"We were filming in Hawaii, and there were sacred rocks — I dunno, they were ancestors, who knows — they were sacred," she said. "And you're not supposed to sit on them, because you're not supposed to expose your genitalia to them. I, however, was in a wetsuit for this whole shoot, so, oh my God they were so good for butt itching!"

Lawrence did not mention the name of the place in Hawaii where she was shooting. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161660/jennifer-lawrence-laughed-her-way-through-a-story-about-desecrating-native-land-in-hawaiimathew@mic.com (Mathew Rodriguez)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:53:37 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161694/john-glenn-death-former-us-senator-and-astronaut-dies-at-95
John Glenn, an aviation icon and former U.S. senator, died Thursday afternoon at the age of 95 at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. There's no word yet on the cause of his death.

In 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth and became the oldest man to travel to space when he boarded the Discovery mission at age 77 in 1998, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

From left to right: Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, John Glenn and Alan Shepard in May 1961 Source: Uncredited/APIn 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Glenn the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "On the morning that John Glenn blasted off into space, America stood still," Obama said at the time. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161694/john-glenn-death-former-us-senator-and-astronaut-dies-at-95marie@mic.com (Marie Solis)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:23:27 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161658/santigold-on-perfection-social-media-and-her-song-can-t-get-enough-of-myself
When given the chance to chat with Santigold for a few minutes before she DJed at a Dec. 7 promo party for Ketel One Vodka in Midtown Manhattan, I pounced. The vodka company's new slogan, "You don't understand, it has to be perfect," got me thinking: How does Santigold — who released her third studio album, 99¢, earlier this year — struggle with perfection?

"I'm a perfectionist, but I'm learning that there are good and bad things about that," she said. "Perfection doesn't exist. Perfectionism means chasing something that doesn't exist. You're always pushing yourself so you end up in great places, but you always feel that you're falling short of something."

She added, "I'm learning to be at peace with something that isn't perfect."

So I wondered what she thought about social media and the temptation to curate a seemingly perfect life for ourselves on Facebook and Instagram. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161658/santigold-on-perfection-social-media-and-her-song-can-t-get-enough-of-myselfchristine@mic.com (Christine Stoddard)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:38:16 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161600/best-music-videos-of-2016-10-of-the-most-ambitious-and-awe-inspiring
The music video seems to be at an odd crossroads in 2016.

On one hand, visuals are more important and more prominent in music than ever, with short films and visual albums from artists like Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Grimes and Kendrick Lamar stunning critics and audiences as few visuals have before. Each expanded the worlds of their accompanying music, allowing more entrances and exits from their artists' creative universe.

At the same time, the music video's main platform for distribution, YouTube, has been continually mired in controversy over the way it compensates its artists. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161600/best-music-videos-of-2016-10-of-the-most-ambitious-and-awe-inspiringtom@mic.com (Tom Barnes)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 14:18:08 +0000http://mic.com/articles/160645/10-gifts-for-the-every-badass-feminist-on-your-holiday-shopping-list
2016 has been a monumental year, both for women and the feminist movement they've long led.

Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party. Fourteen teenage girls from South Africa built the continent's first ever private satellite that will monitor Africa's weather conditions from space. Oh, and the number of women of color in the Senate quadrupled this election season.

Beyond these powerful moments, 2016 has become a year for feminists everywhere to become more outspoken in their fight toward equality. While some feminists are showing their support forthright on social media, others choose more subtle nods to the feminist movement through sassy tote bags and branded clothing items. So, other than a continued, unwavering support for feminism, here's a few cogent items you can gift the candid (and totally badass) feminist in your life.

1. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/160645/10-gifts-for-the-every-badass-feminist-on-your-holiday-shopping-listmarilyn@mic.com (Marilyn La Jeunesse)Tue, 29 Nov 2016 16:13:10 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161577/what-will-happen-in-the-vampire-diaries-midseason-finale-sneak-peek-of-episode-7
In the midseason finale of The Vampire Diaries, the holidays have a few twists in store for everyone in Mystic Falls.

All Stefan wants for Christmas is one last family-style holiday dinner before he turns evil for good. Unfortunately, everyone else has different plans for how the evening will go.

Stefan has decked the halls and made things merry, all for his last day of freedom before he becomes the devil's minion. It's not The Vampire Diaries if there isn't a little bit of trouble, so Damon, Sybil, Alaric and Matt bring the drama. Sounds like a Christmas family dinner to us.

Source: CW/YouTubeEntertainment Weekly has an exclusive look at Cade and Stefan's confrontation in episode seven. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161577/what-will-happen-in-the-vampire-diaries-midseason-finale-sneak-peek-of-episode-7jappugliesi@mic.com (Jordan Appugliesi)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 06:01:01 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161642/chuck-jones-the-carrier-union-leader-trump-called-out-on-twitter-is-now-getting-threats
President-elect Donald Trump is known for high-profile, online feuds with politicians and celebrities — but this week he went after Chuck Jones, the Indiana union leader, and the type of person who showed up to a meeting with Indiana Gov. and Vice President-elect Mike Pence back in March wearing blue jeans and sneakers.

And not long after Trump set his sights on Jones, the hate and the threats from Trump's supporters started rolling in.

Trump and Pence visiting the Carrier factory on Dec. 1Source: Evan Vucci/APThe back-and-forth between Jones and the president-elect began last week, after Trump celebrated negotiating a deal with Indianapolis-based manufacturer Carrier that saved, as he put it, "over 1,100" jobs. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161642/chuck-jones-the-carrier-union-leader-trump-called-out-on-twitter-is-now-getting-threatsaswartz@mic.com (Anna Swartz)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 17:01:37 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161317/there-s-a-sour-irony-in-7-eleven-selling-slurpees-to-fund-cancer-research
Sell sugar water, fight childhood cancer? That's what 7-Eleven proposes with a recent marketing campaign called Slurp4Good. For every large Slurpee sold in the U.S. from Nov. 9 through Jan. 3, 2017, 7-Eleven will donate 11 cents (up to $200,000 total) to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Chill with our new slurpee today and do some good! Till January 3rd 11 cents/large slurpee go to St. Jude's Hospital!

Yes: For every purchase of a large Slurpee (containing 134 grams of sugar aka two and a half day's worth of the sweet stuff), 7-Eleven will generously donate money that can make them eligible for a tax write-off. Sell Slurpees, look charitable, save on taxes? It's a win-win-win for them.

But the Slurp4Good campaign is still a marketing effort, and it commits to the bit. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161317/there-s-a-sour-irony-in-7-eleven-selling-slurpees-to-fund-cancer-researchaorlov@mic.com (Alex Orlov)Tue, 06 Dec 2016 14:11:57 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161639/texans-may-start-mailing-used-tampons-to-the-governor-to-protest-anti-abortion-law
If there's one thing the Texas legislature has gotten good at in recent years, it's coming up with creative ways to decimate access to abortion across the state, even when that means passing restrictions that are unconstitutional. As a result, many Texas residents have pushed back against extreme anti-choice regulations — even when the fight could get messy.

Indeed, "messy" seems to be exactly the word to describe a protest that's been flooding social media this week in response to a new Texas rule, which requires all miscarried or aborted fetal tissue to be cremated or buried.

An unknown organizer is asking people to send their used menstrual products to Gov. Greg Abbott for testing, just to make sure Texans aren't accidentally violating the law when they throw away bloody tampons or pads during their periods. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161639/texans-may-start-mailing-used-tampons-to-the-governor-to-protest-anti-abortion-lawjennymkutner@gmail.com (Jenny Kutner)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:37:46 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161594/the-best-books-to-read-right-now-to-start-2017-off-right
The last thing anyone wants to be is "that person" who can't keep up with the conversation amid a group of well-read people. I've been there; you've been there. We've all pretended — at some point — that we were captivated by this or that book, by a gripping tale about so and so. Many of us have been caught. Well, if you want to avoid such embarrassment, and would actually like to read some highly discussed books from 2016 — plus a few others that will no doubt be talked about again in 2017 — you should check out these titles.

From 2016 National Book Award winner The Underground Railroad to Sweetbitter, a novel based on author Stephanie Danler's time working as a waitress in New York, several of these books made waves in 2016 and will probably continue to be talked about in 2017. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161594/the-best-books-to-read-right-now-to-start-2017-off-righteric@mic.com (Eric Eidelstein)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 13:48:58 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161616/arizona-weed-laws-2017-what-to-know-about-legalization-after-prop-205-defeat
Voters in four states this election approved a measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Not among those states was Arizona, where Proposition 205 was defeated 51.32% to 48.68% in the November election.

The ballot measure, known as the Arizona Marijuana Legalization Initiative, would have allowed "a person who is at least 21 years of age to lawfully possess and use one ounce or less of marijuana." It also would have established a department of marijuana licenses and control to regulate the industry and impose a 15% tax on the sale of the drug; the tax revenue would have gone toward the state's marijuana infrastructure, schools and substance abuse programs.

Where does the Grand Canyon State stand after the Yes on 205 campaign came up short?

Arizona's current marijuana lawsMedical marijuana purchased at an Arizona dispensary.Source: Ross D. Read More]]>http://mic.com/articles/161616/arizona-weed-laws-2017-what-to-know-about-legalization-after-prop-205-defeatericlutz@mic.com (Eric Lutz)Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:32:34 +0000http://mic.com/articles/161544/trump-roundtable-silicon-valley-google-facebook-slack-uber
On July 14, 2016, nearly 150 tech leaders signed an open letter denouncing Donald Trump, calling him "a disaster for innovation." This month, leaders from some of the companies included in this letter might take a seat at Trump's table — a controversial move for those who publicly slammed his candidacy just months ago.